Pump attachment for pneumatic swabs



Aug. 21, 1934. N. H. RICKER PUMP ATTACHMENT FOR PNEUMATIC SWABS Filed Nov. 25, 1930 2 She ets-Sheet 1 WITNESS: All MN hi Emma? INVENTOR A TTORNEY Q Patented Aug. 21, 1934 rum-n'r'molmnu'r swans FOR PNEUMATIC Norman H. Richer, Houston, Tex, assignor to Hughes Tool Company, Houston, Tex., a oor- -poration 01' Texas Application November 25, 1930, Serial No. 497,985 14 Claims. (01. 103-5) My invention relates to an attachment for pneumatic swabs, designed to force the liquid into the swab apparatus so that it may be raised to the surface by the swab.

.6. In the use of pneumatic swabs where the liquid in the well is shallow, it is diincult or impos-.- sible, through submergence alone, to obtain a head oi. liquid above the swab plunger, which is suflicient for economical operation.

It is an object of my invention to provide a device operated through the force of the pressure fluid to raise the liquid in the eduction tube to the desired level above the plunger.

I desire to employ a pump of comparatively 16 small dimensions which will act to force the liquid into the eduction tube to provide in the tube, an artificial head oi. liquid of the desired height above the swab plunger.

It is a further object to provide means to rebeive the liquid being forced into the apparatus while the load is being lifted by the plunger, acting to discharge into the eduction tube as soon as the previous load has been discharged from the device.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the upper end and Fig. 2-the lower 'end of a-pneumatic swab for pumps, employing my invention, both views being 'in'central longitudinal section.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sections on theting within the well hole. At the upper end of the casing is a casing head 2, having a lateral liquid ou let 3. The'upper end is threaded to engage the plug 5 at 4. Said plug 5 is an annular nut engaged with a bull plug 6 which closes the upper end 01' the casing head. There is an inlet pipe 7 for pressure fluid and a lower vent pipe 8.

The pressure fluid is conducted to the lower end of the well by means of a pipe shown at 9. Said pipe is suspended from a block or head 10 which is supported upon a shoulder 11, on the interior of the casing head. The upperend of the block 10 is extended upwardly within the cap or bull plug 6 and has lateral outlet slots 12 therein for the liquid being pumped. An extension 13 above the slots is for the swab plunger and a shock absorbing cushion 14 is held in place 55 by a cap plate 15 and acts as a stop when the der 20.

The a paratus includes an outer casing 1, fltplunger accldently shoots past the outlets with force.

The lower end of the pipe 9 is coupled to a pump supporting housing 18 which has a lower lateral flange 17 which supports a stand pipe 18 projecting upwardly between the pipe 9 and the casing for a purpose to be later noted.

Within the pipe 9 and spaced therefrom is an eduction pipe 19 which seats at its upper end in the block 10 and. at its lower end within the pump supporting housing 18 upon the shoul-- The supporting housing 16 has an inner tapered seat 21 to receive the pump casing 22. Said casing has a lower chamber 23 and an upper 9 chamber 24 separated by a partition'25. The casing flts closely within the eduction tube, and its upper end is tapered externally to receive the lower wedge skirt 26 upon the locking block 27,

by means of which the pump casing 22- is held in position.

The lower chamber 23 has a pump therein. whichmay be of the rotating gear type comprising two meshing gears28 which receive fluid through an inlet pipe 31 leading to an inlet passage 29 at one side 01 said gears and which discharge said fluid through an outlet passage 30 through the side wall of the pump casing and the housing 16. to the space 31 within the stand pipe 18. Said gears 28 are fixed on rotatable shafts 32 and 33, the

upper ends of which are supported in a wall 34.

The upper end of shaft 32 has a gear 35 thereon driven through gear 36 upon a central shaft 3'7 supported in the partition 25.

The shaft 37 extends upwardly'through chamber 24 and is supported at its upper end in a perforated bearing plate 38. Below the plate 38, the inner wall 01' thechamber has fixed turbine blades 39 forming the stator of a turbine, the rotor 40 of which is mounted upon the shaft 3'7, below the blades 39. The pressure fluid from within pipe 9 enters the eduction tube through port 41 leading to an inlet nozzle 42 to the chamber 24. Said nozzle is directed upwardly at an angle to discharge the air or other pressure fluid against the wheel 40 01' the turbine.

' From the turbine the air passes up through the opening 43 to the swab plunger 44. This swab is a conventional type, the particular construction of which forms no part of the present invention. The upper part of the plunger fits the inner diameter of the eduction tube. The lower part is reduced in diameter and has a support 46 for the upwardly closing valve 47. There are lateral openings 48 above the valve when said valve is when the valve is in the open position. Below the valve are inlets for fluid at 49 to the lower end of the valve, below which is a baflie 50 on the plunger.

The liquid pumped from the well into the space 31 within the stand pipe may pass through the wall of the pressure fluid tube by way of ports 51 adapted to be closed by inwardly opening valve plates 52. Openings 53 in the eduction tube lead from the ports 51 to the interior of the eduction tube adjacent the plunger. 4

The valves 52 are pivotally supported at their upper ends upon a collar 56 which closes the space between the pipes 9 and 19 except for the ports 51 and the longitudinal passages 57 for the pressure fluid.

In operation the plunger will sink through the liquid in the eduction tube to a seat upon the locking collar 27. The air under pressure enters the chamber 24 causing the operation of the pump 27,, as described. The pressure fluid will pass through the ports 49 and will act to close the valve 4'7 in the plunger and will start the plunger upwardly with its load of liquid toward the surface. The valve plate 52 will also be closed as shown in Fig. '7. The plunger will raise its load and discharge it through slots 12 and outlet pipe 3 and the plunger itself will pass the slots 12 and be stopped by fluid compressed in the extension 13. The valve 47 in the plunger will be forced open and, as the air exhausts through the outlet, the plunger will drop toward its seat on the block 27.

When the fluid pressure in the'eduction tube is relieved-by the exhaust at the upper end of the tube, the valve plate 52 will open and the liquid pumped into the stand pipe 18 by the action of the pump will rush into the eduction tube and rise to the desired height therein by the time the plunger reaches its seat. The operation will be then repeated.

It will be seen that by the use of a. positive pumping device to raise the liquid in the eduction tube, I will be enabled to obtain suflicient head of liquid in the eduction tube even where the well is so shallow that pumping would otherwise be impractical. While I have shown the use oi one particular type of pump, it will be obvious that other devices of a similar nature may be employed by those skilled in the art, and my inven-' tion is not therefore limited to the particular device shown.

It is understood that injectors and the like have been previously employed in raising liquid in the eduction tube and I do not claim this broad idea, but only the use of mechanical devices such as pumps, by means of which this object may be accomplished when such devices are employed in combination with a pneumatic swab.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a pneumatic swab apparatus for use in wells including an eduction tube, a swab plunger therein movable from the lower end to the upper end thereof, and means to introduce pressure fluid at a point below said swab plunger, the combination of continuously operating mechanical means to positively force liquid from the well into said eduction tube to provide in said tube, an artificial head of liquid above that existing in the well.

2. In a pneumatic swab apparatus for use in wells including an eduction tube, a swab plunger therein movable from the lower end to the upper end thereof, and means to introduce pressure fluid at a point below said swab plunger, the combination of mechanical means to positively force liquid from the well into said eduction tube to provide in said tube an artificial head of liquid above that existing in the well, said mechanical means'being actuated through the flow of said pressure fluid which operates said plunger.

3. In a pneumatic swab apparatus for wells, including an eduction tube, a swab plunger movable from bottom to the upper end of said tube and means to, introduce pressure fluid at the lower end of said tube, the combination of a seat at the lower end of said tube for said plunger, a pump below said seat and means actuated by said pressure fluid entering below said plunger to operate said pump to raise liquid in said eduction tube above said seat.

4. In a pneumatic swab apparatus for wells, including an eduction tube, a swab plunger movable from bottom to the upper end of said tube and means to introduce pressure fluid at the lower end of said tube, the combination of a seat at the lower end of said tube for said plunger, a rotary pump below said seat actuated by the entrance of said pressure fluid below said seat to raise liquid in said eduction tube above said seat and means to prevent the entrance of liquid to said tube when said plunger is moving to raise its load of liquid.

5. In a pneumatic swab apparatus for wells including an eduction tube, a swab plunger movable from bottom to the upper end of said tube and means to introduce pressure fluid at the lower end of said tube, the combination of a seat at the lower end of said tube for said plunger, a pump below said seat and means actuated by said pressure fluid which enters at the lower end of said tube to operate said pump to raise liquid in said eduction tube above said seat, means to prevent the entrance of liquid to said eduction tube when said plunger is rising and means to receive the liquid raised by said pump while said swab is moving upwardly.

6. In a pneumatic swab apparatus for wells including an eduction tube, a swab plunger movable from bottom to the upper end of said tube and means to introduce pressure fluid at the lower end of said tube, the combination of a seat at the lower end of said tube for said plunger, a pump below said seat, and means actuated by said pressure fluid to operate said pump to raise liquid in said eduction tube above said seat, a valve controlling entrance of liquid to said tube and a stand pipe outside said eduction tube to receive liquid from said pump when said valve is closed.

'7. In a device 01' the character described for use in wells, an eduction tube having an outlet at its upper end and a plunger seat at its lower end and a plunger in said tube movable between said seat and said outlet, the combination of a turbine below said seat, means to direct pressure fluid to operate said turbine, and a pump operated by said turbine to raise liquid in said tube above the level of liquid in the well.

8. In a device of the character described for use in wells, an eduction tube having an outlet at its upper end and a plunger seat at its lower end and a plunger in said tube movable between said seat and said outlet, the combination of a turbine below said seat, means to direct pressure fluid to operate said turbine, and a pump operated by said turbine-to raise liquid in said tube above the level of liquid in the well, and a stand pipe outside said tube to receive and store said liquid While said plunger is moving upwardly.

10. In a pneumatic swab for wells including an eduction tube, a plunger movable from end' to end of said tube, and means to conduct pressure fluid to the lower end 'of said, tube, combination of a liquid raising mechanismyiat the lower end of said tube, means actuated by said pressure fluid to operate said mechanism to raise the level of liquid in said tube in said well,-

means to control the entrance of liquid from said mechanism to said tube, and means to store said liquid when said tube is closed.

11. In a fluid lift device for wells,"an eduction tube, continuously operating means to positively force liquid upwardly into said tube to raise an artificial head therein above the level of liquid in the well, and additional independently movable means pneumatically operated to then raise said liquid to the surface.

' 12. In a fluid lift device for wells, an eduction tube, continuously operating means, including a mechanical pump, to positively force liquid upwardly into said tube to raise an artificial head therein above the level of the liquid in the well, and additional pneumatically operated means independently movable to-then raise said liquid to the surface.

, 9 13. In a fluid lift device for wells, an eduction tube, a fluid. operated motor, a pump actuated ",isaid motor to raise the level of liquid in said be, and a pneumatically operated swab plunger "movable from adjacent the lower end to the upper end of said tube to raise a load of said liquid to the surface.

14. A pneumatically operated swab for wells including an-eduction tube, a swab plunger therein, in combination with means to raise a head of liquid in said tube above the level of liquid in the well including a motor and a liquid raising device actuated thereby. NORMAN H. RICKER. 

